This is a place to let our children sing out through their perfect art. It is also a chance to let us all enjoy their creativity, stories and talent.
“Art is never wrong; it simply is.”

ink/pen & ink

May 20, 2016

There have been so many television specials about the life of Walt Disney, his inspiration, and his legacy. Living in Oregon, it's not that convenient to go to Disneyland. It's a REAL treat when the students in my son's class get to go. What they love are the movies. They can all sing songs from every movie. Our school musical is usually a Disney Jr. production of something with a princess. Getting to study Walt Disney in ArtLit was a true treat for them. Last year we had done the animation lesson, focusing on Warner Bros. cartoons. It was a blast to bring that back into this lesson and talk about key frames, flip books and the planning process.

We gave them 12 - 20 small sheets to make flip books. Since they were familiar with key frames and tweeners (the beginning and end and the parts that get you from one to the other) they had a different approach to this. The students K-2 made a single animation cel.

One concept they had to plan for is if they are right or left handed - how will they hold their flip book to flip through their drawings? Knowing this, they also realized putting details at the "holding" end of the book wouldn't work, so they worked out a narrow design that still had movement.

October 05, 2015

Not all artists start out as artists. Sometimes the earn a degree in mathematics, write songs and work their way over to visual arts.

Romare Bearden began college at Lincoln University, transferred to Boston University and completed his studies at New York University (NYU), graduating with a degree in education. While at NYU, Bearden took extensive courses in art and was a lead cartoonist and then art editor for the monthly journal The Medley. He had also been art director of Beanpot, the student humor magazine of Boston University. Bearden published many journal covers during his university years and the first of numerous texts he would write on social and artistic issues. He also attended the Art Students League in New York and later, the Sorbonne in Paris. In 1935, Bearden became a weekly editorial cartoonist for the Baltimore Afro-American, which he continued doing until 1937.

Bearden was also a respected writer and an eloquent spokesman on artistic and social issues of the day. Continue reading his biography on the Bearden Foundation site.

Here him speak as he shares about his art and music and how the culminate.

We've decided to use collage for our production. This keeps the costs down for your group and opens up tremendous possibilities. In speaking with my 10 year old about this lesson, he told me that it may be difficult for some of his classmates to select on scene or memory to depict and may fall back on the same-ol-same-ol flags and Minecraft imagery. He suggested that you give the students a day or two to look forward to the lesson by asking them to think about a favorite memory or photo or place to recreate in art.

Here are some of the samples we parent volunteers created. My favorite is the one with the cat eyes and French fry hair. We are in Oregon, so nature, woods, produce are big - it is also a reflection of the magazines we had. Could have been WAY different with Time, Nat Geo or Rolling Stone.

Romare Bearden told us stories of his life - in Harlem. He depicted the music scene, social movements, poverty, every day people. In doing so, he brought a life that many didn't know existed outside of stereotypes and helped add a human element to them.

The terms we covered in this lesson were:

Collage: A composition made by adhering different materials to the surface of a work. Collage tends to break the unity of the composition and create deliberate spatial disharmonies and incongruities of scale.

Shape: An area contained within an actual or implied line. Shape has 2 dimensions, length and width. Shapes can be organic or geometric. organic shapes reflect objects found in nature that are free formed, natural and curved. Geometric shapes include triangles, squares, rectangles and circles, they are hard-edged and usually man-made.

Texture: The surface feel of an object or the representation of surface character. Texture is the actual and "visual feel" of surface areas as hey are arranged and altered by man or nature. Actual texture is a surface that stimulates a tactile response when actually touched. Implied (simulated) texture is a representation of an actual texture created by a careful copying of the light and dark pattern characteristic of its surface.

Explore some of the images of Romane Bearden's art through the decades.

August 22, 2015

Recently, at the Portland Art Museum, they had a wonderful event called the Monster Rally where 3 rounds of 30 artists each drew something to sell for $35 as a fundraiser. It was wildly successful and a deck of cards had to settle battles over several pieces.

As a side activity, there were tables to create an Exquisite Corpse, based on a Victorian parlor game. In this, you have a tall piece of paper - legal size or tabloid work well. You divide it into three equal parts: Head, Torso, Legs.

FOLD it so that you only see one panel - the head.

You need three people for this. Each person has the same type of sheet and each person starts with the head. DO NOT let the others see what you are making. Pencil is fine for this part. Have gum erasers ready, too, and pencil sharpeners.

When each has completed their heads, they fold it to conceal that panel and expose the TORSO - pass to the right or left and each works on the next section. Repeat for the legs/bottom.

The key is, before you pass your panel, you need to carry the lines marking your neck, where they legs go, etc. to the next person so it will line up. otherwise it won't work out.

It helps if the artists each use a heavier stroke. Hard to connect when some are faded. You can color them after, or before you pass them.

Variation with words instead of pictures:

Freeform word game.

Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution.

The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion."

In other words, start with part of story, or phrase and write on your third - beginning, middle, end. You could even create the pictures to go with the story. That would be funny.

January 09, 2015

We are prepping for a K-5 lesson on Animation. We had the opportunity to cover Peter Paul Rubens and it just was either a bit dark, complex or too mature for this audience. Erin and I decided that we'd do our own lesson from scratch. Here is some back up history for it.

I met Churck Jones in 1989 and told him that he was my babysitter. I learned classical music from his Looney Tune cartoons, learned some more sophisticated humor, sub-references and more. My children, especially my son, is a cartoon snob. He cannot stand the cleansing of Donald & Mickey's relationship - they are ROOMMATES! The edge is gone in the name of being politically correct and touchie feelie.

We are going old school here, including hand painting animation cels in the classroom. Here is some history form Wikipedia - great recap.

How to draw Bugs Bunny to give you a taste:

My babysitter, Chuck Jones on not comparing yourself to others:

May 02, 2014

Bio from Wikipedia - partial:

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, France, the child of a working-class family. As a boy, he worked in a porcelain factory where his drawing talents led to his being chosen to paint designs on fine china.[2] Before he enrolled in art school, he also painted hangings for overseas missionaries and decorations on fans .[3] During those early years, he often visited the Louvre to study the French master painters.

During the Paris Commune in 1871, while Renoir painted on the banks of the Seine River, some Communards thought he was a spy and were about to throw him into the river when a leader of the Commune, Raoul Rigault, recognized Renoir as the man who had protected him on an earlier occasion.[6]

In 1874, a ten-year friendship with Jules Le Cœur and his family ended,[7] and Renoir lost not only the valuable support gained by the association, but also a generous welcome to stay on their property near Fontainebleau and its scenic forest. This loss of a favorite painting location resulted in a distinct change of subjects.

The focus of our lesson was about the history of his start, how he changed styles during his career, how he started out pretty hungry until he found his style and audience. All well and good to paint however you want, but if you want to make money, you have to think about your audience and how to relate to them.

See the artist filmed painting at home: 1919

PRODUCTION:

They created reflections. We encouraged them to fill the paper with color and to keep in mind the crease is what would determine where the "reflection" would start. Most got this project - all ages K-5

We modified the production for all ages. We found that slick, brochure type of paper worked BEST.

We foled the paper in half - fold size at their bellies we told them. We used washable markers, spray bottle and had blotting paper. The slick paper tended to encourage the water to run a bit, so we put a piece of construction paper under them to catch it and keep them from smearing.

When they were done, we opened it, sprayed the dry half and crease generously with water and then folded inside a manilla envelope to allow them to press it without tearing their art. The reveal was the great moment! The loved seeing the reflected image they just created. We blotted with another piece of clean paper and they were done.

April 07, 2014

The son of a tailor and a seamstress, Pierre-Auguste Renoir came from humble beginnings. He was the couple's sixth child, but two of his older siblings died as infants. The family moved to Paris sometime between 1844 and 1846, living near the Louvre, a world-renowned art museum. He attended a local Catholic school.

As a teenager, Renoir became an apprentice to a porcelain painter. He learned to copy designs to decorate plates and other dishware. Before long, Renoir started doing other types of decorative painting to make a living. He also took free drawing classes at a city-sponsored art school, which was run by sculptor Louis-Denis Caillouette.

Using imitation as a learning tool, a nineteen-year-old Renoir started studying and copying some of the great works hanging at the Louvre. He then entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, a famous art school, in 1862. Renoir also became a student of Charles Gleyre. At Gleyre's studio, Renoir soon befriended three other young artists:Frédéric Bazille, Claude Monet, and Alfred Sisley. And through Monet, he met such emerging talents as Camille Pissarro and Paul Cézanne.

Beginning of Career

In 1864, Renoir won acceptance into the annual Paris Salon exhibit. There he showed the painting, "La Esmeralda," which was inspired by a character from Victor Hugo's Notre-Dame de Paris. The following year, Renoir again showed at the prestigious Salon, this time displaying a portrait of William Sisley, the wealthy father of artist Alfred Sisley.

While his Salon works helped raise his profile in the art world, Renoir had to struggle to make a living. He sought out commissions for portraits and often depended on the kindness of his friends, mentors, and patrons. The artist Jules Le Coeur and his family served as strong supporters of Renoir's for many years. Renoir also remained close to Monet, Bazille, and Sisley, sometimes staying at their homes or sharing their studios. According to many biographies, he seemed to have no fixed address during his early career.

Around 1867, Renoir met Lise Tréhot, a seamstress who became his model. She served as the model for such works as "Diana" (1867) and "Lise" (1867). The two also reportedly became romantically involved. According to some reports, she gave birth to his first child, a daughter named Jeanne, in 1870. Renoir never publicly acknowledged his daughter during his lifetime.

Renoir had to take a break from his work in 1870 when he was drafted into the army to serve in France's war against Germany. He was assigned to a cavalry unit, but he soon fell ill with dysentery.

PRODUCTION:

We were originally going to use oil pastel on paper, but found that washable markers gave us more of the reflective effect we were looking for. Start with PRINTER/COPIER paper - really. Fold in half. Have them create a scene on water on half - folded edge at the bottom. Use the washable markers. When done, unfold, spray plain side with water and fold OVER the art they created pressing and then opening for both to dry.

Back to learning more abou Renoir

Leader of Impressionism

After the war ended in 1871, Renoir eventually made his way back to Paris. He and some of his friends, including Pissarro, Monet, Cézanne and Edgar Degas, decided to show their works on their own in Paris in 1874, which became known as the first Impressionist exhibition. The group's name is derived from a critical review of their show, in which the works were called "impressions" rather than finished paintings done using traditional methods. Renoir, like other Impressionists, embraced a brighter palette for his paintings, which gave them a warmer and sunnier feel. He also used different types of brushstrokes to capture his artistic vision on the canvas.

While the first Impressionist exhibition was not a success, Renoir soon found other supportive patrons to propel his career. The wealthy publisher Georges Charpentier and his wife Marguérite took a great interest in the artist and invited him to numerous social gatherings at their Paris home. Through the Charpentiers, Renoir met such famous writers as Gustave Flaubert and ?mile Zola. He also received portrait commissions from the couple's friends. His 1878 painting, "Madame Charpentier and her Children," was featured in the official Salon of the following year and brought him much critical admiration.

International Success

Funded with the money from his commissions, Renoir made several inspirational journeys in the early 1880s. He visited Algeria and Italy and spent time in the south of France. While in Naples, Italy, Renoir worked on a portrait of famed composer Richard Wagner. He also painted three of his masterworks, "Dance in the Country," "Dance in the City" and "Dance at Bougival" around this time.

As his fame grew, Renoir began to settle down. He finally married his longtime girlfriend Aline Charigot in 1890. The couple already had a son, Pierre, who was born in 1885. Aline served as a model for many of his works, including "Mother Nursing Her Child" (1886). His growing family, with the additions of sons Jean in 1894 and Claude in 1901, also provided inspiration for a number of paintings.

As he aged, Renoir continued to use his trademark feathery brushstrokes to depict primarily rural and domestic scenes. His work, however, proved to be more and more physically challenging for the artist. Renoir first battled with rheumatism in the mid-1890s and the disease plagued him for the rest of his life.

October 05, 2012

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) is one of the world's most famous graphic artists. His art is enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, as can be seen on the many web sites on the internet.

He is most famous for his so-called impossible structures, such as Ascending and Descending, Relativity, his Transformation Prints, such as Metamorphosis I, Metamorphosis II and Metamorphosis III, Sky & Water I or Reptiles.

SKY & WATER I Woodcut

CASTROVALVALithograph, February 1930

But he also made some wonderful, more realistic work during the time he lived and traveled in Italy.

Castrovalva for example, where one already can see Escher's fascination for high and low, close by and far away. The lithograph Atrani, a small town on the Amalfi Coast was made in 1931, but comes back for example, in his masterpiece Metamorphosis I and II

i

" I could fill an entire second life with working on my prints" - MC Escher

The most recognizable pieces of his use "tessellations." They were done as wood cut shapes and then printed.

Tessellation is the process of creating a two-dimensional plane using the repetition of a geometric shape with no overlaps and no gaps. Generalizations to higher dimensions are also possible. Tessellations frequently appeared in the art of M. C. Escher, who was inspired by studying the Moorish use of symmetry in the Alhambra tiles during a visit in 1922. Tessellations are seen throughout art history, from ancient architecture to modern art.

For our ArtLit class, we are giving the younger students pre-printed tessellation sheets for them to color in two colors. The 3-5 graders will be cutting out their own from a pre-printed pattern.

I'd prefer to allow them to create their OWN tessellations. It's easier than you think - as long as you aren't trying to transform your shapes into birds and fish along the way! This page explains it well:

October 17, 2011

Dot paintings of the Australian Aboriginal desert peoples are often called sand paintings. This reference stems from their genesis in ground paintings that are created by clans as they move from place to place in the desert. The clan gathers around a central site, which is cleared so that "paintings" can be created using seeds, flowers, sand, stones, feathers, and other natural substances. The clan elders sing their way through the painting process, imparting tribal knowledge to younger members of the clan. The various symbols are explained and interpreted as lessons in the clan's history and heritage, its creation story, and the location of sacred sites, food sources, and water holes.

Today, these designs are painted on art board and canvas for sale to the outside world. While the precise meanngs of the designs are usually unclear to outsiders, they have deep cultural significance to clan members. Details usually are not revealed to anyone outside the clan. Even then, only males who 'graduate' to high rank in the clan learn the full menaing of the designs.

September 17, 2011

"My picture looks like the Place des Vosges, but it looks only like certain color-shape relations which are in herently there. These color-shape relations are beautiful, independent of the objects they are associated with, therefore they are abstract - but since they are always associated with some sort of objects, they are concrete and unique in each case." "A picture is an independent object with a reality of its own."

I have found some great resources that go beyond the lesson plan for Stuart Davis. I'm not sure why they felt it necessary to include the part of how his wife died when we are presenting this to 3rd - 5th graders.

I've also included a great article on him from the Smithsonian written in 1991.

Slide #27: Untitled - Urban Poor Shnatytown - photy by Roy DeCarava. Mr DeCarava's work could be another lesson on its own. Explore this photographer and his history. I couldn not find the exact photo, but this is another of his during the same period.

Slide #24: Advertising Billboard - this was taken in Atlanta, GA

Slide #21 - Stuart Davis at the Piano. Found nothing. ended up searching and finding only Bette Davis on pianos, Miles Davis next to pianos. No luck. Sorry.

Slide #1: Stuart Davis Lucky Strike 1924 Oil on Posterboard, 18 x 24"

Slide #2: Stuart Davis Blue Cafe 1928 oil on Canvas, 18.5 x 21.5"

Slide #3: Stuart Davis Garage Lights 1931 Oil on Canvas

Slide #23: Door to the River 1960, Willem de Kooning, Oil on Canvas, 90.5 x 70"